Ammunition flow path fire propagation prevention system

ABSTRACT

A continuously effective fire propagation barrier comprises a pair of counter-rotating baffle wheels disposed in an aperture in a stationary fire wall.

United States Patent Meier 1 Dec.5, 1972 [54] AMMUNITION FLOW PATH FIREPROPAGATION PREVENTION SYSTEM [72] Inventor: Otto I-I. Meier, Shelburne,Vt.

[731 Assignee: General Electric Company [22] Filed: Oct. 12, 1970 [2]]Appl. No.: 79,931

[52] US. Cl. ..l98/1, 89/33 MC, 198/131 [51] Int. Cl ..B65g [58] Fieldof Search..89/l3 R, 33 MC; 222/369, 410,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,399,119 12/1921 Hodges..89/13 R FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 803,857 11/1958 Great Britain..222/410 Primary Examiner-Richard E. Aegerter AssistantExaminer-Douglas D. Watts Att0rney-Bailin L. Kuch, Irving M. Freedman,Harry C. Burgess, Frank L. Neuhauser, Oscar B. Waddell and Joseph B.Forman {5 7] ABSTRACT A continuously effective fire propagation barriercomprises a pair of counter-rotating baffle wheels disposed in anaperture in a stationary fire wall.

3 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures PATENTEDUEE 5 1972 INVENTORI OTTO H. MEIER,2W HIS TC "wrY.

AMMUNITION FLOW PATH FIRE PROPAGATION PREVENTION SYSTEM BACKGROUND OFTHE INVENTION the ammunition flow path between an ammunition supply andconveyor system and a high rate of fire weapon do not appear to betaught in the prior art. US. Pat. No. 2,390,477 issued to J. C. Trotteron Dec. 4, 1945 shows a conveyor system for a machine gun having a pairof double sprocket wheels for driving the rounds between the'supply andthe weapon. US. Pat. No. 3,427,923 issued to E. A. Meyer et al. on Feb.18, 1969 shows a similar system for a higher rate of fire weapon. Thesesprocket wheels encircle the rounds but do not provide a barrier betweenany two adjacent rounds. US. Pat. No. 1,399,119 issued to L. E. Hodgeson Dec. 6, 1921; US. Pat. No. 3,262,367 issued to W. E. Martwick et al.on July 26, 1966; and US. Pat. No. 3,468,217 issued to'W. C. Cooley onSept. 23, 1969, each shows the use of two sprocketed cylinders to definea firing chamber in a machine gun. These cylinders only provide abarrier around the round being fired, and do not preclude propagationfrom misfired or jammed rounds subsequent to the firing position.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, it is an object of this inventionto provide a continuously effective fire propagation prevention systemespecially adapted for the ammunition flow path between an ammunitionsupply and conveyor system and a high rate of fire weapon, such as isshown in US. Pat. application Ser. No. 24,198 filed Mar. 31, 1970 by R.F. Leopold and O. H. Meier.

A feature of this invention is the provision of a continuously effectivefire propagation barrier comprising a pair of counter-rotating bafflewheels disposed in an aperture in a stationary fire wall.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING These and other objects, features andadvantages will be apparent from the following specification of theinvention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of a fire propagation system embodying thisinvention;

FIG. 2 is a view in cross-section taken along .the plane lI-Il ofFIG. 1;and

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a baffle wheel utilized in theembodiment of FIG. 1.

THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The fire propagation prevention system is shownin conjunction with the conveyor system of Ser. No.

24,198, supra, to which reference should be made for a completedisclosure thereof. Briefly, the conveyor system includes an endlesschain of clam shell cylindrical assemblies 10, each assembly includingtwo telescoped portions 12 and 14 which are mutually journaled forrelative rotation about the longitudinal axis of the cylinder. The outerportion 14 has two pairs of rollers 16 which guide the respectiveassembly along a pair of tracks 18. Adjacent assemblies are hingedtogether at 20. The run of the conveyor passes from an ammunitionsupply, not shown, through an aperture 22 in a bulkhead 24 or stationaryfire propagation barrier, to a high rate of fire weapon, not shown.

A pair of side plates 30 and 32 are fixed in the aperture and an uppershaft 34 and a lower shaft 36 are journaled through and between theplates. A driven sprocket 38 is fixed to one end of the shaft 34 while agear 40 is fixed to its other end, and meshes with a gear 42 fixed toone end of the shaft 36. The sprocket and gears are outboard of the sideplates.

An upper baffle wheel 50 is fixed onto the upper shaft 34 between theside plates; and a lower baffle wheel 52 is similarly fixed onto thelower shaft 36.

The baffle wheels are fabricated from a flexible fire retardentmaterial, such as PVC foam, and are each shaped so as to mutuallyconform from both sides tightly around each clam shell assembly 10 as itpasses through the bulkhead aperture.

Each baffle wheel has a plurality of longitudinal semi-cylindricalcut-outs 54 generating a like plurality of teeth 56. The cut-outs areslightly undersize to insure a tight fit around the cylindricalassemblies, and compress around the rollers 16. An annular cutout 58 isprovided to clear the hinge assembly 20. At all times, at least onetooth on the upper wheel is in contact with a respective tooth on thelower wheel, to provide a fire tight seal between the wheels. A firetight seal between the bulkhead and the wheel is effected by a pluralityof arcuate flanges fixed to the bulkhead and overlapping at least onetooth of each wheel.

A plurality of splines 60 may be fixed in the shaft 34 or 36 and thesurrounding wheel 50 or 52, to preclude relative rotation between thewheel and the shaft. A drive chain 62 couples the sprocket 38 to asprocket 64 which is fixed on a shaft 66 which is part of the drivesystem of the conveyor, to ensure synchronism between the wheels and thecylindrical assemblies.

This system is very simple, light and particularly reliable in that itdoes not require a firing sensing and actuating system to be effective,as it continually provides a fire propagation barrier.

While a preferred embodiment of this invention has been described, itwill be apparent to those skilled in the art that the invention may beembodied otherwise than as herein specifically described, and thatcertain changes in the form and arrangement of parts may be made withoutdeparting from the underlying principles of this invention within thescope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. An article conveyor assembly comprising:

a bulkhead having an aperture therein with at least two opposed edges;

an endless chain of spaced apart, coupled together,

carriers, having a path of travel through said bulkhead aperture;

two baffle wheels journalled for rotation on respective, parallel,spaced apart axes, transverse to said path of travel of said chain, anddisposed in and closing said bulkhead aperture;

said baffle wheels being so configured and disposed as to mutuallyenclose each carrier peripherally and substantially laterally as itpasses between said wheels, and at all times to provide a wiping sealwith at least said two opposed edges of said aperture;

each said baffle wheel having a plurality .of longitudinalsemi-cylindrical cut-outs generating a like plurality of teeth;

-whereby as each said carrier passes between said wheels, it is disposedin part in one of said cut-outs of one of said wheels and is disposed inpart in one of said cut-outs of the other of said wheels;

each of said wheels being made of a resilient fire-retardant materialand each of said cut-outs being slightly undersize with respect to saidcarriers to provide a tight fit around a therein disposed carrier; and

means coupled between said wheels and said chain for synchronizing themovement thereof.

2. An article conveyor assembly comprising:

a bulkhead having an aperture therein with at least two opposed edges;

an endless chain of spaced apart, coupled together,

carriers; having a path of travel through said bulkhead aperture;

two baffle wheels journalled for rotation on respective, parallel,spaced apart axes, transverse to said path of travel of said chain, anddisposed in and closing said bulkhead aperture;

said baffle wheels being so configured and disposed as to mutuallyenclose each carrier peripherally and substantially laterally as itpasses between said wheels, and at all times to provide a wiping sealwith at least said two opposed edges of said aperture;

each said baffle wheel having a plurality of longitudinalsemi-cylindrical cut-outs generating a like plurality of teeth, each ofsaid cut-outs being slightly undersize with respect to said carriers toprovide a tight fit around a therein disposed carrier;

whereby as each said carrier passes between said wheels, it is disposedin part in one of said cut-outs of one of said wheels and is disposed inpart in one of said cut-outs of the other of said wheels; and

means coupled between said wheels and said chain for synchronizing themovement thereof.

3. An article conveyor assembly comprising:

a bulkhead having an aperture therein with at least two opposed edges;

an endless chain of spaced apart, coupled together,

carriers, having a path of travel through said bulkhead aperture; Y

two baffle wheels journalled for rotation on respective, parallel,spaced apart axes, transverse to said path of travel of said chain, anddisposed in and closing said bulkhead aperture;

said baffle wheels being so configured and disposed as to mutuallyenclose each carrier peripherally and substantially laterally as itpasses between said wheels, and at all times to provide a wiping sealwith at least two opposed edges of said aperture; each of said carriersincluding a first unit half portion formed as a longitudinallysectioned,hollow cylinder having first and second end walls,

each of said first half portions having a first pair of transverselyspaced apart, longitudinally journalled rollers mounted to a first meansextending transversely from said first end wall, and a second pair oftransversely spaced apart, longitudinally journalled rollers mounted toa second means extending transversely from said second end wall;

a second unit half portion formed as a longitudinally-sectioned, hollowcylinder having first and second end walls; and

first and second spaced apart rails disposed through said bulkheadaperture; said first pair of rollers of each unit being adapted tostraddle and ride on said first rail, and said second pair of rollers ofeach unit beingadapted to straddle and ride on said second rail.

1. An article conveyor assembly comprising: a bulkhead having anaperture therein with at least two opposed edges; an endless chain ofspaced apart, coupled together, carriers, having a path of travelthrough said bulkhead aperture; two baffle wheels journalled forrotation on respective, parallel, spaced apart axes, transverse to saidpath of travel of said chain, and disposed in and closing said bulkheadaperture; said baffle wheels being so configured and disposed as tomutually enclose each carrier peripherally and substantially laterallyas it passes between said wheels, and at all times to provide a wipingseal with at least said two opposed edges of said aperture; each saidbaffle wheel having a plurality of longitudinal semicylindrical cut-outsgenerating a like plurality of teeth; whereby as each said carrierpasses between said wheels, it is disposed in part in one of saidcut-outs of one of said wheels and is disposed in part in one of saidcut-outs of the other of said wheels; each of said wheels being made ofa resilient fire-retardant material and each of said cut-outs beingslightly undersize with respect to said carrIers to provide a tight fitaround a therein disposed carrier; and means coupled between said wheelsand said chain for synchronizing the movement thereof.
 2. An articleconveyor assembly comprising: a bulkhead having an aperture therein withat least two opposed edges; an endless chain of spaced apart, coupledtogether, carriers, having a path of travel through said bulkheadaperture; two baffle wheels journalled for rotation on respective,parallel, spaced apart axes, transverse to said path of travel of saidchain, and disposed in and closing said bulkhead aperture; said bafflewheels being so configured and disposed as to mutually enclose eachcarrier peripherally and substantially laterally as it passes betweensaid wheels, and at all times to provide a wiping seal with at leastsaid two opposed edges of said aperture; each said baffle wheel having aplurality of longitudinal semi-cylindrical cut-outs generating a likeplurality of teeth, each of said cut-outs being slightly undersize withrespect to said carriers to provide a tight fit around a thereindisposed carrier; whereby as each said carrier passes between saidwheels, it is disposed in part in one of said cut-outs of one of saidwheels and is disposed in part in one of said cut-outs of the other ofsaid wheels; and means coupled between said wheels and said chain forsynchronizing the movement thereof.
 3. An article conveyor assemblycomprising: a bulkhead having an aperture therein with at least twoopposed edges; an endless chain of spaced apart, coupled together,carriers, having a path of travel through said bulkhead aperture; twobaffle wheels journalled for rotation on respective, parallel, spacedapart axes, transverse to said path of travel of said chain, anddisposed in and closing said bulkhead aperture; said baffle wheels beingso configured and disposed as to mutually enclose each carrierperipherally and substantially laterally as it passes between saidwheels, and at all times to provide a wiping seal with at least twoopposed edges of said aperture; each of said carriers including a firstunit half portion formed as a longitudinally-sectioned, hollow cylinderhaving first and second end walls, each of said first half portionshaving a first pair of transversely spaced apart, longitudinallyjournalled rollers mounted to a first means extending transversely fromsaid first end wall, and a second pair of transversely spaced apart,longitudinally journalled rollers mounted to a second means extendingtransversely from said second end wall; a second unit half portionformed as a longitudinally-sectioned, hollow cylinder having first andsecond end walls; and first and second spaced apart rails disposedthrough said bulkhead aperture; said first pair of rollers of each unitbeing adapted to straddle and ride on said first rail, and said secondpair of rollers of each unit being adapted to straddle and ride on saidsecond rail.